Remembering the Master: A Letter to Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011)

Earlier, I read this post from one of those authors dear to my heart, Maggie Stiefvater, commemorating the loss of an author that is practically part of my heart. Honestly, any words that I can dish up in this post can't describe how much it hurt to hear about Diana Wynne Jones' passing last March. The death of an author always means more to me than that of a celebrity: a celebrity acts out words, taking stories and using them as temporary cloaks that will be discarded after they deem their role finished, abandoned in a tidy little list of movie appearances as they sweep on to their next appearance. An author is the weaver of those words, the ultimate inspiration, the reason that you can get lost in a film or a book and not surface for hours afterward.

There will be no more words from Mrs. Jones. She has left behind a great gap in the writing community, and reading Maggie's post was enough to make me feel that pang all over again. But, it's never too late to be grateful, and below, if you so wish, you can read my own humble tribute to one of the most wonderful children's writers I've ever seen.

Rest in peace, Mrs. Jones. You are greatly loved and very much missed.

Dear Mrs. Jones:

I meant to write you a letter, ages ago. It probably got lost in the endless piles of papers scarred with old, half-baked ideas and desperate pleas to published masters of the field I longed to "get the hang of", to help me figure out where I went wrong here or lost the track of it there. Probably, I was worried about wasting your time, or thought the letter would get lost somewhere over the pond and never end up in your mailbox.

Now, I think that you might not have minded. But it's too late for that, isn't it?

No, is what I think you would say in response. It's never too late to start.

What I truly want to say - what I've always wanted to say - can be summed up in two words: Thank You. Thank you for keeping me company through my childhood, even before I knew your name. I can remember one day when my mom plopped a beaten old paperback in my lap that she'd just fished off the library sales rack. I was frustrated, raw and fraying at the edges after another unsuccessful go at flat characters and a story idea that just didn't seem to sit right on the paper. So I opened it up and I read it.

That was Dogsbody. I remember reading about the dog who came from the stars and the little girl who loved him, and going to the last page, and then turning back to read my favorite passage again, tracing over the words as though some of the ink would sink into my veins and grab hold of my hands and force them to write The Novel.

It was official. I was hooked. And I didn't even bother to see the author's name.

You were always there when I needed you. In high school, it felt as though the endless papers, regulated reading lists and sleepless nights were swallowing me whole. I had no time for fiction. I had no time to breathe, it felt some days. And yet, somehow, your stories wormed in and forced me to make room for them, push aside a few essays and put that project off for later.

That was when I met Howl.

I don't think I need to tell you of all people how charming he can be when he wants to. As it is, Howl's Moving Castle is still that story that can make me tear up every time I see the cover. Combined with the beautiful score from the cartoon, I'm a veritable mess of tissues every time. I know that I probably might never write a story that can live up to it, but you know what? Just reading your story makes me want to try, to try and write a story that touches a reader's heart and just feels right.

You made me sure that being a writer isn't a bad thing. It's not something that ends up in lifelong debt or becoming a pauper or terminal diseases. It's not just a hobby that be set aside and forgotten. If you're a writer, when you read someone else's words and they sing to you, you can feel it, and you can't forget it. Your stories remind me why I churn away at these blank pages every time.

I used to dream that possibly, someday, somehow, I would pick up a copy of a freshly-bound book - my book - and see your name on the front, highlighting words such as "remarkable" or "fresh young talent". I know now that will never happen. I know that you'll never read one of my books or bump into me by chance at a convention so I can tell you exactly how every one of your books has made me feel (hopeful, enchanted, determined).

What I can do is keep writing.

You've taught me as much.

I could say so many more cliche things, things that others have already said for me in words that I will probably stumble over and make heavy and melodramatic in a way that would make Howl proud. You inspired me. You made me want to be like you, be that author who could span generations with just a few words. You're the one whose books will line my shelves in the future and will grace my lap when it's time for bedtime stories. You were the teacher that I will never get to meet, and I am sorry that it took your leaving for good for me to work up the courage to try and sum this up as best as I can.

I miss you.

I always will.


Much love,

Kaye

Bardugo, Leigh: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Expected publication: June 5, 2012
Henry Holt and Co. 
YA Fantasy, 368 pages
Acquired and read: Through NetGalley (one of the many reasons to love being a book blogger!) and I read it within an hour last night. I have no will power whatsoever when it comes to ARCs.

Challenge? 2012 Debut Author Challenge

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near-impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one unlikely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life– a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha… and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is one of those amazing 2012 debuts that delivers everything the blurb promises you. And I mean everything.

Let's start off with Alina. The main character, the heroine, the poor lamb being led to the slaughter - well, that was how I felt for her more than once in the course of the storyline. For some reason, she also reminded me a bit of the cartoon Anastasia: tough, I can handle it, but also with a soft heart that is often bruised by her strained relationship with her childhood best friend and the fact that she has totally scary powers that she didn't even know about.

I mean, can you imagine how much pressure it must be on your shoulders, to be the Sun Summoner - to have people worship you like a saint when all you want to do is curl up in a ball and cry?

Yes. I did want to hug her a few times. I'm not sure how well that would be received though.

Mal. The childhood best friend, the love interest (at least the one that a reader feels like rooting for) and an awesome soldier. Of course, he had to taint it a little bit for me by being a total womanizer - at first - and not seeing the girl right in front of him. YA heroes. They can be so clueless.

I am very loath to mention the Darkling - a. because I will probably blurt out a spoiler that will have everyone who hasn't read this yet beating me over the head with their blog headers (ouch!) or b. the author will come after me with her scary makeup brushes and be like, "You spoil my novel, child? You die!"

Yes. My imagination gets way ahead of me.

Okay. What I will say about the Darkling is that he is young (of course), tall, dark and handsome (to be expected) and...he's on the Dark Side. What do you expect from the title? Just so you know - I wouldn't take any cookies to join his Dark Side. Nope. It's more trouble than it's worth.

On to the world-building (which, as you know, is pretty much the main reason why I love fantasy)...Alina and her world are amazing. Leigh Bardugo used Russian culture to weave her own amazing fantasy-world, where samovars and thick coats exist beside ancient evils the likes of which don't exist in this world...and royals who definitely would have deserved a little revolution had they actually lived in Russia.


Believe me. This tsar is a total pig.

Also, Keith Thompson drew a map of Ravka (see here on Leigh's blog)...yes, THE KEITH THOMPSON. Now you can hang it up on your wall and pretend there's a real place out there you can go to visit, if only to see the volcra in their native habitat and brave the dangers of the Unsea.

Warnings: (Or, things that even if this book was undoubtedly awesome, bothered me...) Mal and his buddies being a pack of womanizers - never in detail. Some instances of language, one or two kissing scenes, thematic violence and some pinches of innuendo.

Carey, Janet Lee: Dragonswood

Expected publication: January 5, 2012
Penguin Young Readers Group
YA Fantasy, 416 pages 
Acquired and read: Through Around the World ARC Tours - sorry for the late review! I read it in about two hours

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

Okay. If Janet Lee Carey wasn't already ranking on my list of favorite fantasy authors, she's really skyrocketed up there by now.

You probably remember my Teaser Tuesday/brief review of her previous book, Dragon's Keep - which as it turns out, is a prequel/companion to this new adventure. Where Dragon's Keep focused on Rosalind, the beautiful Pendragon princess with a hidden curse beneath her gloves, this story is all about Tess, an abused blacksmith's daughter who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is accused of witchcraft. After she lets her friends' names slip under torture (and honestly, who can blame her?) all three of them have to flee their little hamlet and run headlong into adventure.

As usual, Ms. Carey creates a unique, believable heroine, under fire from all sides and with a thorny nature to protect herself from the threats she sees around her. I wasn't as fond of her friends - particularly the healer girl, Poppy, who despite her gift came off to me as self-centered, flighty and all too eager to capture male attention. Meg, married at fourteen and constantly concerned about her daughter and husband that she left behind in danger, was a bit more easy to sympathize with.

Of course, runaway witches disguised as lepers isn't enough. There are dragons (yay!) and a handsome, all-too-likable love interest Garth Huntsman - but is he more than just the King's loyal servant. I also loved the twist the author added in with Tess's surprising bloodline and the conflict within Rosalind's descendants.

Also, Lady Adela? Best evil witch hunter slash bad girl ever. I mean, I can't say I ended the story liking her a bit more, but  I did understand where she came from - doesn't mean I thought she deserved a happy ending, though.

Warnings: Illegitimacy (for those who it might trouble). Maybe some mild language and thematic violence here or there, but all in all an amazing fantasy read.

Final verdict: Try to get through the first chapter and put it down. You won't be able to resist. Trust me.

Teaser Tuesday: In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  

Grab your current read. 

Open to a random page. 

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. 

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"So, just dating?"

"I intend a good deal more than that," Finn said. Mr. Wylltson's eyebrows lifted again, and Finn turned completely red.

"I mean to say I'm a marrying man...I know what you're thinking, and you're right. I'm eighteen years old. But I'm the man who can keep her alive when the goblins come hunting." 

Okay, so I might have fudged the rules a little this week for the teaser. But honestly, it's Finn. I needed to do him justice. What eighteen-year-old boy fights goblins, wields duct tape like a master, and is also a chivalrous, honorable marrying man? (Forget Edward Cullen. Finn is another reason to be Team Human.)

About In the Forests of the Night (The Goblin Wars, #2) by Kersten Hamilton:


The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. 

Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

Schwab, Victoria: The Near Witch

August 2, 2011
Hyperion Books
YA Fantasy, 282 pages
Acquired and read: Via the local library cooperative, and read within twenty-four hours

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
 These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

I've been looking forward to this for SO LONG, and I'm so happy that it's lived up to my expectations.

The writing is...for lack of a better word, scrumptious. The cadence and feel resemble a genuine fairy tale, but with enough of a modern edge that today's generation won't feel out of their depth. Lexi wandering the moors feels as familiar and chilling to my heart as searching in the woods for Baba Yaga and her chicken-footed hut, or Gerda following The Snow Queen's footsteps in order to rescue her beloved Kai.

Also, Ms. Schwab gets the action going right away. From the first page, we know what's going on and what's at stake. Children are missing. A new (handsome, of course) stranger has arrived in Near. Lexi instantly captivated me as a heroine who both loves her family and is willing to follow her heart - and when she's in trouble, she doesn't a) break down and cry, b) attempt to snag a sparkly, exsanguinated boyfriend who can fight her battles for her, or c) both of the above. Very refreshing. (I also loved Magda and Dreska - I understand why Lexi likes to hang out with them as much as possible.) All the factors melded together to make a flawless, breathtaking story that I know I will want to visit again in the future.

I was a fan of Victoria Schwab even before I read the book, but this has pretty much ensured I'll be a fan for life.

Warnings: None. Unless you find long-dead witches coming back for vengeance too much for your heart to take.

Final verdict: YES. (I should find some way to get a graphic of a red stamp so that it looks all official.)

Sharp, Anthea: Feyland: The Dark Realm

Expected publication: December 16, 2011
Self-published
YA Sci-Fi/Futuristic Fantasy, 270 pages
Acquired and read: Sent by the author (thanks Anthea!) in return for an unbiased, fair review; I read it all in one go between last night and this morning - the bags under my eyes are SO worth it

WHEN A GAME…

Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and fifteen-year-old Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.

TURNS REAL…

Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.

WINNING IS EVERYTHING…

Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late. 

So remember how the other day I was bemoaning the fact that I can't find any more good renditions of the legend of Tam Lin? This little gem totally fits the bill.

Meet Jennet Carter. Fifteen years old and living the good life as an addicted sim gamer - and as the daughter of one of the top developers in the market, she gets the new stuff right when it comes out. But with the new game her dad and his friend Thomas have developed - Feyland, the most adaptable, immersive game to date - she might have gotten in over her head. The lines between reality and old legends is fading, and when she crosses paths with the Dark Queen, she finds exactly how much is at stake.

And then there's Tam Linn. An earthly knight, to be sure, but not one with a charmed life. Balancing his gaming with a messed-up home isn't easy, especially when he can't help but want to get closer to the new, rich girl who keeps poking her nose into his business.

I'm not a gamer - well, not as much as I'd like to be (does Nancy Drew PC mysteries count? Seems like I can't cut myself off from the literature) - but the concept of being pulled completely into a game, raising the stakes so that the life you have is the only one you've got, is a compelling one. I couldn't help but tense up right along with Jennet and Tam as they got deeper into Feyland, and closer to each other. There were a few moments where I felt like, "COME ON! Communicate with each other!" but for the most part, their partnership fits as seamlessly as the plot.

Feyland proves that being published away from the general market doesn't mean low quality. There is a good amount of structure from the original legend and at the end, I definitely felt relieved that this wasn't going to be the last of Feyland (and you know how I feel about sequels recently). If you like faeries, a touch of sci-fi and old ballads, this is definitely the story for you.

Warnings: A bit of profanity. That's all.

Final verdict: Yes. But you can't have my copy. IT'S MINE.

Teaser Tuesday: Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  

Grab your current read. 

Open to a random page. 

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. 

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

...Seeing the teeth marks and deep gashes down my arm, he pulled off my left glove to view my wounds further. The glove dropped with the soft sound of a dead leaf. The woods went still all around us as Kye looked at my bloody hand and my naked claw.

About Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey:
   Far away on Wilde Island, Princess Rosalind is born with a dragon claw where her ring finger should be. To hide the secret, the Queen forces her to wear gloves at all times until a cure can be found, so Rosalind can fulfill the prophecy to restore the family to their rightful throne.
   
But Rosalind’s flaw cannot be separated from her fate. When she is carried off by the dragon, everything she thought she knew falls apart. The dragon sees beauty in her talon where her mother saw only shame, and Rosalind finally understands what her mother has truly denied her.
   
Carey has written a stunning portrayal of the complex relationship between a mother and daughter in a lyrical novel sure to thrill readers who love fantasy—and those who don’t.

Carson, Rae: The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Girl, #1)

September 20, 2011
Greenwillow Books
YA Fantasy, 432 pages
Acquired and read: Through NetGalley for an unbiased (and very late) review; read within two hours

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

I requested this e-galley via recommendation from Dani at Refracted Light, and got rejected TWICE. Well, apparently third time was the charm, and I managed to finish it within two hours after my self-imposed Ramadan bookfast.

Honestly, though it surprised me in a few places, this book actually met up to my expectations. I was a bit impressed with how the author harnessed Spanish culture and old traditions to spin around her own new world, as well as the legends based on the Godstone and its particular powers (though I couldn't help but picture it as an extra-large belly ring).

The idea of a fat princess really appealed to me, but sometimes in the book I felt that it was overdone - ie. the whole "Oh, I shouldn't, but I will!" drama that occurs every time she decides to eat something, which is pretty much at the moments when you're dying to know what's going on in the other room. At least at the end, she is confident about herself and her abilities, which is definitely a plus in my book - but other than that, not much else occurs that really makes her the type of character I want to tie to my heartstrings and keep with me forever.

Definitely a good start to the entrance of slightly overweight heroines, though.

My main problem with the story (the reason why I'm not giving it the complete five stars) was the side romance that I felt was a little...adulterous? I understood that Elissa's husband didn't appreciate her, he had someone else on the side, etc. etc. so of course that excused her to break her marriage vows and go and fall in love with someone else.

And then, once I got warmed up to the new guy...well, I'm not going to spoil it for you.

The height of my enjoyment with this book was the plot, and the world-building. To be honest, I actually read it more like a writing class (confession: Holly Root is one of my dream agents, and every time I hear someone signed with her, I have to read through and hope some of that luck rubs off on me). Keeping the action going is definitely one of Ms. Carson's strengths.

To cut my rambling off, let's just sum it up as not being Ella Enchanted, but still with its own place in the book world. It might not be on my "Most Amazing Fantasy Ever!" shelf, but it is still a respectable title from the 2011 line-up, and I will certainly read the next book when it comes out.

Warnings: Infidelity. Mentions of what goes on between a man and his wife (but nothing explicit, just...hints for those who read between the lines). Thematic violence.

Final verdict: I think this would go on the maybe-so shelf. You might like it. You might not. I'm still in the middle.

Cypess, Leah: Mistwood (Mistwood, #1)

April 27, 2010

Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins

YA Fantasy, 304 pages

Acquired and read: From public library; two hours (give or take)

Related books: Cypess, Leah: Nightspell

The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.

Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.

Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.

Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court... until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart... and everything she thought she knew.

This is one of those sitting-the-fence reads that I'm really glad I took the chance on. Ever read a review by someone you really trust (ie. another book blogger) that wasn't really positive, but you REALLY like the way the book sounds? Yeah, that was my conundrum right there, and (with all due respect to the blogger, because she's awesome) I'm glad I didn't listen to her because I really would have missed out.

The cover evokes this Lord of the Ring-esque world in my mind, but in reality the story and its situation sounds more like a royal court intrigue from the medieval times - or maybe Henry IV. Nothing is as it seems. Isabel, famed Shifter, guardian of the line of kings, emerges from the forest at the behest of the man who should be her next protectee - but she doesn't remember anything about who she is, or her duties.

From the beginning, I was attached to Isabel. She's determined to stick to the role of the mythical protector, but in reality she's just as lost and worried about the resolution as the reader. To me, she felt the way that Katsa (Graceling, Kristen Cashore) should have turned out, without all the gratuitous "no need to get married, just run around and pray you don't get pregnant" trifle that was shoved in. I loved the fact that (for once) the protagonist's self-discovery wasn't just centered around the romantic plot and being dependent on a man.

Rokan was a bit of a harder sell. Honestly, at times he seemed like a bit of a milk sop. ("Oh Daria! She's so perfect. Wait, why are you here bossing me around? Oh right, you're my protector. Hey, you're kinda cute...") I was glad he grew a bit of a backbone at the end...a bit.

When I reached the end, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was relieved that it was a stand-alone book because - honestly, the endless series are becoming a bit much. On the other hand, GAH IT ENDS RIGHT THERE?! At least there's a companion novel, but that's little comfort considering that I'm pretty sure it won't be the same. Ah, well. I can't bash it before I try it.

Warnings: One instance of bad language that can be quickly passed over. Other than that, this is one of the cleaner YA books I've read this year.

Final verdict? Yes. A big, red-pen YES.

Taylor, Laini: Lips Touch: Three Times

October 1, 2009
272 pages, Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic Inc.)

A girl who’s always been in the shadows finds herself pursued by the unbelievably attractive new boy at school, who may or may not be the death of her. 

Another girl grows up mute because of a curse placed on her by a vindictive spirit, and later must decide whether to utter her first words to the boy she loves and risk killing everyone who hears her if the curse is real. 

And a third girl discovers that the real reason for her transient life with her mother has to do with belonging — literally belonging — to another world entirely, full of dreaded creatures who can transform into animals, and whose queen keeps little girls as personal pets until they grow to childbearing age.

From a writer of unparalleled imagination and emotional insight, three stories about the deliciousness of wanting and waiting for that moment when lips touch.

I never realized before what an important role is given to the reviewer. Reading a review can completely color your eyes towards a book and its author, even before you've felt it in your hands for yourself, or seen the familiar binding gracing the shelf of a library.


That being said, I will try my best in this review to show you exactly how amazing, electrifying, and simply marvelous this little flame-colored volume is, and why you should read it.

I know, it's a big responsibility, but someone's gotta do it.

Ready?


Okay. I've heard a lot about this book, even before Laini Taylor wrote the tantalizing (and much coveted on my part - curse you, all those lucky BEA attendees that have ARCs!) Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Three stories about kissing with a paranormal bent, yada yada yada.

My first reaction? A picture of this guy.

...No, not Rob Patz (though he's pretty traumatic in himself). The guy he plays. The sparkly vampire.


Yes. There's been so much paranormal floating about that I'm ashamed to admit I've become a bit jaded about new releases, and the possible appearance of another pale-skinned, golden-eyed, anguished immortal hunk (get yours today!) that I kind of put this title aside in my mind and forgot about it.


However, thanks to a few glowing reviews on GoodReads (particularly those of Nanalla and Tatiana - thanks girls!) made me pick this up at the library last week.


To make a potentially long review short, let me just say: if you're looking for one fantasy/paranormal/romantic/fairy tale book to make your favorite read of the year, this pretty much fits the ticket.


Positively. Gorgeous.

And I don't just mean the illustrations.


To quote the book itself:


"Kizzy wanted to be a woman who would dive off the prow of a sailboat into the sea, who would fall back in a tangle of sheets, laughing, and who could dance a tango, lazily stroke a leopard with her bare foot, freeze an enemy's blood with her eyes, make promises she couldn't possibly keep, and then shift the world to keep them...She wanted to be inscrutable, have a drink named after her, a love song written for her, and a handsome adventurer's small airplane, champagne-christened Kizzy, which would vanish one day in a windstorm in Arabia so that she would have to mount a rescue operation involving camels, and wear an indigo veil against the stinging sand, just like the nomads.


Kizzy wanted."

and...


"The others all remembered that stare in the garden, and they could see now in the look that passed between the two that something was already under way. A bridge begun at both ends, reaching toward the place in the middle where they could rest against each other and find completion."


I could post more, but I really don't want to spoil the book for you. Like that breathless moment before a dive into the deep end of a pool, or the sensation of first love, this is something you really have to read - and adore - for yourself.


Warnings: A bit of sexual innuendo. The last story, at least to me, was also a bit more disturbing (a demon queen that keeps human children as pets, and then breed new ones when they come of age), so just keep that in mind.


If you like/recommended for: Fairy tale lovers. It doesn't matter how old you are. Fairy tales are meant to be universal. Why do you think there are around a hundred versions of Cinderella?

Definitely a book you don't want to miss. And please, do yourself a favor and read it instead of listening to the audiobook. Your eyes will thank you.

Yolen, Jane: The Last Dragon

October 4, 2011
144 pages, Dark Horse Comics

Master storyteller Jane Yolen ("Owl Moon" and "Sword of the Rightful King") and celebrated fantasy artist Rebecca Guay ("Swamp Thing" and "Magic: The Gathering") weave a textured and lyrical tale of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way. Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew - with only a healer's daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way. 

To me, this was one of the best graphic novels I've seen in a while. Glorious, fairy-tale worthy illustrations, a plucky, determined heroine, and a hero who actually isn't a hero but willing to try all make this a worthy read no matter what age you are.

I also liked the detail put into making this story as authentic and magical as possible. The heroine's two, rather comical elder sisters, her heart-warming connection with her father - as well as the beautiful layout of the village and the old-fashioned dialogue - definitely makes this appealing for both younger readers just discovering the magic of the fantasy genre, as well as older readers looking for a taste of nostalgia.

Warnings: None.

A marvelous story, wonderful illustrations, and definitely friendly for all ages.

Wood, Maryrose: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out (Morgan Rawlinson, #1)

March 6, 2007
218 pages, Berkley Jam

Being sent to your room is one thing. But being sent to another country? 

Morgan's boyfriend dumped her on the last day of school - it seemed the only thing to do was to hack off her hair and dye the stubble orange. Unfortunately, Morgan's parents freaked and decided a change of scenery would do her good. So they're sending her off on a bike tour of Ireland. 

But Morgan gets more than she bargained for on the Emerald Isle - including a strange journey into some crazy, once upon a time corner of the past. There, she meets fairies, weefolk, and a hunky warrior-dude named Fergus, and figures out that she's got some growing to do-and she doesn't just mean her hair.

So Morgan might be reacting a little badly to her recent breakup.

Well...badly might be an understatement.

After she takes the shears to her hair, Morgan's parents totally hit the roof and ship her off to Ireland for a bike tour, hoping (perhaps a little too optimistically) that a little time away from home will straighten her out. The country is unexplored, the fellow tourists all with their own interesting quirks and reasons to get away - and of course, there's Colin, who seems to Morgan to be the perfect rebound boy for her heartbreak.

Of course, this is all before she knocks her head and wakes up to long hair, a beautiful ancient warrior with a familiar face, and a talking horse standing guard over her body. Can anyone say, time travel?

After meeting her and reading her other two series (The Poison Diaries and The Incorrigable Children of Ashton Place - both are still in progress, and both are amazing), this book sets a different tone than Maryrose Wood usually has. Still, though, the writing is pretty good; she hits the feel of a hurt, troubled teenager spot-on. My only complaint would be the coarse language, of which there is a LOT, and a lot of unnecessary innuendo.

Warnings:

Mature language, extremely obvious innuendo, alcohol served to a minor, a bitter teenage girl with no verbal or mental filters - you get the idea.

And let's tally up the rating points!

Points for:

Historical research

Realistic character

Accurately retelling mythology

Minus for:

Language

Innuendo

A rather rushed resolution ending, in my opinion (I felt almost like I was living out someone's confuzzled nightmare after eating cheese right before bed - it was that confusing)

Final notes:

I'm not sure if I'll keep reading this series or not. It's definitely something different, but the language issue is always a touchy spot for me. And besides, I still have the second book of the Poison Diaries (ARC! I am so glad to have a generous younger sister) to finish up... ;)

Coakley, Lena: Witchlanders

August 30, 2011
224 pages, Athenum 

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future. 

It’s all a fake. 

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated? 

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change.

Ryder has a lot on his plate - a farm that he has to tend alone after the death of his Fa, a so-called witch mother addicted to the maiden's woe that both incurs visions and an early death...and the dreams. There is a Baen in his head, that he is sure of - an enemy witch, playing games with his mind, even as his mother claims that she has seen her most important prophecy: an assassin across the mountains that he must stop.

Falpain is in mourning for his twin brother and supposed soul mate. Sent by his father to Stonehouse for seclusion, he is all too aware of the invisible barrier between Witchlander and Baen, and the consequences of crossing it. But for the sake of his family, he knows all too well that he will have to face death in the eye. He doesn't know how soon that will be.

Coakley seamlessly alternates and merges the two points of view, raising sympathy for Ryder in one moment before she turns back to Falpain's mind for clarification in the next. I particularly loved how she created her own patchwork world out of various traditions and suggestions of real world cultures - ie. a village that sounds European in its way of life, golems and spoiled boys who are allowed lapdogs.

Warnings: Character deaths, golem attacks and fearsome spiders - if that type of thing bothers anyone except for a certain person who watched Arachnophobia *shudders*

And let's tally up the rating points!

Points for:

Originality

Supporting cast

World

Believable, likeable hero

Final notes:

I was really fortunate to notice this title in this month's S&S Galley Grab. Definitely one of the more enjoyable books I've had occasion to peruse this year, and one that I highly recommend. I hope that there will be a sequel.

Kagawa, Julie: The Iron King (Iron Fey, #1)

February 1, 2010
363 pages, Harlequin Teen


Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. 

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. 

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. 

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Meaghan has always been haunted by her father's disappearance when she was a child. Now, at seventeen, she feels isolated, forgotten by her mother and stepfather in the wake of her precious half-brother Ethan's presence, and, after a disasterous attempt at confessing her feelings, dealing with a ticked-off jock out to make her life miserable.

But of course, when you think your life is at an ultimate low, fate has to make things interesting by making it all hit the proverbial fan.

In a twist of fate reminiscent of Labrinyth, Ethan is spirited away and replaced with a creature with a hunger for carnage. Meaghan's only friend turns out to be one of the most famous fairies in the history of literature. And, of course, there's a dark-hearted boy whose idea of courtship is constant death threats.

All in the life of an undiscovered faerie princess, right?

I have to give Julie Kagawa props: going on the same idea as Lesley Livingston's Wonderous Strange - which I love -  (daughter of the fairy king, Puck as her guardian, falling in love with a faery boy she's not supposed to have), she churned out an unbelievably real, albeit dark and frightening, world that you could just see playing out on the big screen from the hands of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton.

There are gnomes. There are trolls. There are fast chase scenes and gruesome deaths. This is definitely not a book meant for younger readers. With the innuendo and constant language, it's way out of my comfort zone even as a teenager. If you feel the same way, I'd really recommend Wonderous Strange - a little less intense, and still an awesome storyline.

That being said, The Iron King still needs recognition for proving that even if an idea might have already been done, you can still add your own touch with the right imagination and, in this case, the right amount of Gothic horror to keep the storyline going.

Warnings: A lot of profanity, an attempted assault by a bunch of drunken satyrs, scary characters right out of a Tim Burton...yeah, let's just say "not for the faint of heart."

And let's tally up the rating points!
Points for:
Originality (evil computer-virus faeries, anyone?)

Supporting cast (puck at his most boisterous, albeit foul-mouthed)

World (bristling with menace, evil goblins and blank-eyed humans in thrall to their own deaths)
Minus points for:

Strong language

Extreme violence

Situational violence (i'm really sounding like a television rating system here, aren't i?)

Annoyingly dependent heroine (though i must give her props for being determined to retrieve her younger brother.)

Cliche brooding love interest
Final notes:
I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series. I did receive the free Kindle edition of the companion Puck story the author recently released, so I probably will read and review that. I really don't relish going out of my comfort zone when there are other stories on my list that I am waiting eagerly to get my hands on.

It depends. Maybe.

Pierce, Tamora: Page [Protector of the Small, #2]

August 24, 2004
288 pages, Random House

As the only female page in history to last beyond the first year of formal training to become a knight, 11-year-old Keladry of Mindelan has an uphill battle to fight. In addition to proving herself worthy of being a page, Kel spends her time defending first-year pages from bullies, staying on top of homework, conquering her paralyzing fear of heights, and keeping up with Lord Wyldon's grueling physical training schedule. Kel's detractors do everything in their power to thwart her progress, from tormenting her friends to sabotaging the Midwinter Festivities to kidnapping her maid and dog on the day of final examinations. The tide of resistance begins to turn slightly during the summer between Kel's second and third years, when she leads a team of pages in defensive maneuvers against renegade bandits. 

Kelandry of Mindelan has done it - though, of course, knowing Tamora Pierce, there is no doubt that her female characters will always (sometimes miraculously) surpass all obstacles, prejudicies and/or acts of God in order to end at the finish line.

Of course, for eleven-year-old Kel, the journey is only beginning. She has to fight to maintain the harsh regimen of a page, while dealing with the constant trials a chauvinistic world has to offer. And then, predictably, there is her growing affection for her best friend Neal, even as it seems her other friend Cleon also desires her attention.

Tamora, Tamora, Tamora. You start them off so young.

A planned sabotage and kidnapping, a maid that seems to have "Attack me! I'm sweet and helpless!" written on her forehead, and a mangy dog that doesn't take no for an answer are just some of the new difficulties Kel must battle, along with her fear of heights and a fearsome training master who doesn't seem to be able to look past her Y chromosome.

At least King Jonathan seems to be having a good year.
 
Warnings: Mentions of attempted assault, male-female inequality, fights over Kel's virtue and mentions of exactly how a girl changes as she grows up - completely unnecessary in my opinion.

And let's tally up the rating points!

0.5 - Relatively strong heroine

-1 - Cardboard supporting cast - there's the little nerd, the big friendly giant, the loyal best friend turned eventual love interest, the kindly king...need I say more?

- 1 - Anticlimatic "climax"

- 1 - Unnecessary "details"

1 - Appropriate detail of a knight's life, even if placed in a fantasy world

Final notes:

It was okay, I guess. A bit of a yawn in the middle, and I'm pretty sure I'm only moving on to the next book just so I can know what happens next. Otherwise, if you really want a strong girl-hero read, I'd suggest browsing elsewhere.

From the writer's point of view, I must admit that all this information about feudalism and the life of a knight is giving me a little flesh for some bare-boned ideas I've been hoarding away. At the very least, I'm keeping notes of what interests me.

Wynne Jones, Diana: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, vol. 1

In this multiple parallel universes of the Twelve Related Worlds, only an enchanter with nine lives is powerful enough to control the rampant misuse of magic—and to hold the title Chrestomanci... The Chants are a family strong in magic, but neither Christopher Chant nor Cat Chant can work even the simplest of spells. Who could have dreamed that both Christopher and Cat were born with nine lives—or that they could lose them so quickly?

f i n a l   t h o u g h t s

Though I'm pretty sure that Howl's Moving Castle will remain my favorite of Diana Wynne Jones' series (may she rest in peace in that great castle in the sky), Chrestomanci is quickly becoming a fast second.

I didn't know until I checked this volume out that it contains the first two books of the series - Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant. What's cool about it is that we're introduced to the current Chrestomanci, or head magician, in the first book, and then you get to read his back-story in the second volume.

I figured out pretty quickly that any assumptions you might have coming into a Diana Wynne Jones story should be kept silent. It's like running through a maze: you turn every corner, get a little lost, and then think you know the way out, only to be met with another new twist.

Only it's much cooler.

And less scary than getting lost for real.

my verdict. five stars. a must-read, even if you think you're too old for children's lit.